A gorgeous morning, bright sunshine feeling warm out of the fresh north-west wind. So walking down the lea side of a hedge the Blackthorn has suddenly sprung in glorious bloom, a mass of delicate slightly pinkish white petals covering the spiky bushes. This lasted for just a few feet as the direction altered and the Blackthorn buds were still tightly closed on the next section.
Coming from a patch of bright yellow Gorse was the piping call of a Blackbird, eventually I spotted the glossy black bird perched on the prickly twigs.
In amongst the just emerging leaves of a Cherry a small flock of Long-tailed Tits were acrobatically hanging and dangling from the branches, their constant twittering alerting me to their presence. The small fluffy pink and black ball shaped body with an exceptionally long tail!
In the sunshine the Lesser Celandine is open, a brilliant shiny yellow circle of colour, alongside a few white dangling bells of Three-cornered Leek and the deep blue of Grape Hyacinth popping up through the grass.
Down to the cliffs, where the Auks (Guillemots and Razorbills) were conspicuous by their absence – perhaps taking a few days away on the water before the hustle and bustle of the breeding season!
A Shag flew by, dangling from its beak some green seaweed, probably taking to its nest for building material, a Cormorant also heading west, seeing the two, the differences were quite obvious.
A cackling eruption of black as Jackdaws took flight from the rocks, only to land again, very neatly, one on every other capper on the dry-stone wall.
The greyish Rock Pipit flitted around the cliff edge while I took a closer look at the Danish Scurvy Grass and recently emerged Common Whitlow Grass. While peering at the ground the basal rosette of an Early Spider Orchid was noted with a flower stem appearing, but no flower yet.
A twitter from some Goldfinches as they dropped onto the Ash, where a Chaffinch had been perched until they disturbed him.